4th November, 2022, SUVA: The PIF-Business Mauritius Peer-Learning Exchange Program took six Pacific businesses from Fiji, Samoa, the Cook Islands and Solomon Islands to Mauritius. The mission concluded last week and provided opportunities for Pacific businesses to network and develop business relationships with the Mauritian private sector, as well as presenting possibilities for gateways into the wider African Market.
Reflecting on the positive mission outcomes and next steps, which will include a Mauritius business mission to Fiji, PIFS Director Programmes and Initiatives Zarak Khan, said the signing of the Joint Framework between the Pacific Islands Forum and Business Mauritius in September 2021 was a giant leap of faith.
"We've never signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a private sector organization of any region, so for us it was quite special to look at Mauritius and to learn from its dynamic economy. The shared opportunities for growth in the fisheries industry, ICT and tourism services; sectors are immense and a great demonstration of South-South Cooperation between Small Island Developing States.”
The Forum team also met senior officials of various Mauritius government authorities, the Indian Ocean Commission, Cap Business Océan Indien, and the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub to discuss areas of collaboration between the Pacific and Indian Ocean States and Small Island Developing States. Areas of interest for further collaboration included trade and investment, fisheries and blue economy, climate change, sharing of best practices, access to finance, financial services, and maritime security among others.
Director Khan also acknowledged the generous support from key partners and donors that assisted in making this mission a reality, and focused on the importance of partnerships.
"We have shared challenges - climate change, building resilience, and building an international system that better understands the needs of Small Island Developing States. Working together is essential. This mission also shows the value of partnerships in fostering the resilience of Pacific businesses.”
The Mauritius economic story is a case study for how Small Island Developing States can develop and achieve economic growth through establishing proper regulatory policies, enabling frameworks for businesses and creating job opportunities and investment.
The Peer Learning Exchange Program was facilitated with Business Mauritius and jointly supported by the European Union (EU) under the Strengthening Pacific Intra-Regional and International Trade (SPIRIT) Project, the Commonwealth Secretariat (COMSEC), and the EU funded Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change and Resilience (PACRES) Programme. -ENDS.
Media Contact: Joeli Fahai’ono – joelif@forumsec.org
